The first shot is distinctly sharper and colour more like what you see using a reasonable astronomical scope in my experience.
bb2

Good site, thanks
bb2

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Briefly, "using aperture ring" must be enabled in the Custom Menu.
Set top dial to M
Press green button (I have K20D -the same?)to set exposure speed.
Press shutter button.
Good luck
bb2

Very nice especially first two
bb2

I use all my old flashes one way or another!.
eg Use SLS 750 peanut slave trigger on an old flash which has a high trigger voltage.
eg Buy a SLS 006S mini slave flash (GN 12). Other slave units can handle pre flash bursts for PTTL etc.

Another auto flash which has low trigger voltage can be used in the camera hotshoe as a trigger and extra light source. I sometimes use this, freeing up my wireless Sigma EF530 Super to be used on an umbrella/stand. This is non PTTL mode and means all the other slaves flash in syncro with the camera.
Hope this is clear and gives you a few ideas.
cheers
bb2

Absolutely no movement on mine. And it is not over tightened.
bb2

I bought a Flipside 300. It was one of the few bags that would accommodate the K20D and mounted Bigma.
bb2

A Dutch site has trigger voltage at about 238-250 volts so don't put on your camera without using a Wein safe sync or similar. However, you should test trigger voltage yoursef. Another site had 8volts.Otherwise use it as a slave!
bb2

Thats a top shot. Sharpness will also be limited by atmospherics and whether lens is temperature stable, dew on lens etc. I'd be very happy to achieve a photo with that quality on my Bigma!
bb2

Congratulations, a top shot, but I would make it a square crop. You haven't quite got there yet.
cheers
bb2